


crying in the bathroom

by Fredwrites



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, platonic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-10
Updated: 2017-05-10
Packaged: 2018-10-30 06:02:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10870605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fredwrites/pseuds/Fredwrites
Summary: Angus really needs a pep talk





	crying in the bathroom

**Author's Note:**

> So when I first posted this I goofed, really bad, Because i didn't really understand how tagging relationships worked or the difference between / and &. I just wanna assure you that this is 100% platonic. I kind of panicked and deleted the previous fic which was silly but I want to say I'm really sorry to anyone that was upset. This is it with the mistakes corrected

Taako fucking hated public bathrooms. It was a box that a bunch of strangers congregated in to piss together. Gods, it was foul, even if The Bureau had those fancy space toilets that flushed with a wave of your hand. 

Nevertheless, Kravitz wanted to meet up for a drink somewhere nice, and Taako didn't want to walk out on a date to relieve himself (oh, how *romantic*). So instead, he braced himself and pushed open the white door. 

First things first, Taako sniffed the air. Not too bad. Obviously someone had freshened the place up (to Taako's immense relief) and it looked clean enough. He stared into a mirror over the row of sinks, distracted by a stray lock of hair. Tutting, he tucked it back into place. However, he was interrupted by a sound.

Sobbing.

There was a heavy silence as Taako fell entirely silent. He mentally cursed, rubbing the space between his eyebrows. Part of him told him to do his business and get going, and the other part was tugging him toward the stall it came from. 

Taako typically ignored stuff like that. Best not to get his hands dirty with other people's emotions (his own were enough to deal with) but this...sounded familiar. It was high and soft in a way that no other Bureau member's could be.

Sighing, Taako tapped his knuckles against the door. "Hey...uh, everything alright in there?"

Quiet. Then: "Oh! Uh, w-wait just a minute sir..." Then the door swung open. Lo and behold, there, perched on the closed lid of a toilet, sat a short and trembling...child.

Of course it was Angus.

His mouth was pulled into a tight line, as if he was keeping something in his cheeks. And speaking of cheeks, they were streaked with tears. His glasses were all fogged up, and his mini deer stalker cap was clutched tight in his hands. To Taako's surprise, he felt a pang in his chest.

"Ango, Ango...what's up buddy?" Taako stepped backward as Angus hopped off the toilet, rubbing the lenses of his glasses with the corner of his sweater that read "#1 Detective".

"Oh, nothing, I-I was just...simualting the stress of a working environment, with myself. Hah, you know, being part of a secret bureau is a lot more emotionally taxing than you'd think!" he babbled, his voice cracking.

"Tell me about it," Taako muttered under his breath. "Look, Angus, I'm not the most perceptive guy in the world, but my wizardly senses tell me you're not being wholly honest." He leant against the sink, resigning himself to a pep talk.

Angus looked caught off guard and his mouth opened slightly. "Wizardly senses?"

"Oh yeah, bud. I'm like a dog but way more stylish and also I walk on two legs. But anyways, go on."

Angus breathed out deeply, staring at the floor. "I...I miss my family."

"Oh?" Taako crouched to be level with Angus.

"My grandpa never got his silverware, and now I bet he hates me, if he isn't dead already, and my parents are gone forever, and no investigating or problem solving can ever bring them back." Fresh tears welled up in Angus's eyes, before wobbling at his lower eyelids and dripping onto the floor. "A-and then, every time you guys go out, I'm worried you won't come back!"

Angus took a shuddering breath inward. "W-what's the point in being the world's greatest detective if you can't stop people from dying?!" he cried. "What's the point in finishing all the puzzles if no one's there to care?!"

"I care." The words came out of Taako's mouth before he even knew it was open. He faltered for a second-his own speech shocked him. 

"Huh?"

"I said-I said I care, Angus." Taako rested his hand lightly on the boy's shoulder. "You're one of the smartest people I've ever met, and you'd better believe you've saved my ass before." He smiled tentatively. "You're special Ango. And I'm...I'm really proud of you."

Angus stared at Taako. His eyes were wide and unblinking. Then he threw himself forward, his arms wrapping tight around Taako's shoulders.

Taako froze at the sudden contact. Once he had come to terms with it, he patted Angus's back gingerly. Normally he would've pushed away the person touching him on pure impulse, but something about this was just so...nice.

It reminded him of something. Someone. He felt like he'd done this before, been there for someone, but he couldn't imagine who. Whenever he tried to focus in on the feeling, his vision seemed to fuzz. Angus's sniffling snapped Taako back to reality.

"Thanks, sir," he whispered, and Taako eased him back gently, feeling relieved at the delighted smile that graced Angus's chubby cheeks. 

"Hey, no problem, kid. Just...look, I'm here for you. We're here for you." He gestured toward the door. "Go, run along. I gotta whizz and I've got a date with death." 

Angus complied and he smiled at Taako once more before letting the door sweep shut behind him. And Taako was left with unusual feelings of affection and care and memories that weren't quite there anymore.


End file.
